Car-brake-operating mechanism.



1. ECKERT 11. KmBY, 1R. CAR BRAKE OPERATING MECHANSM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3. i917.

Patented 11Iay141,191^8.Y

l Wfl. f 2 .h H H H H L mi* QI@ uml- W. 8 F H B E l l JOSEPH ECKERT AND JOI-IN KIRBY, JR., OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNORS T0 IH DAYTON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION 0F OHIO.

OAR-BRAKE-OPERATING MECHANISM.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, Josnrn Ecnnnr and JOHN KIRBY, Jr.,l citizens of the United States, and residents of Dayton, in the county of Montgomery andy State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Brake-Operating Mechanism, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of our specification.

Our invention relates to car brake operating mechanism, and more particularly to that class wherein the handle or .operating lever when turned in one direction will rotate the brake-shaft, and when turned in an opposite direction will move independently of the brake-shaft.

The object of our invention is to improve upon the type of brake operating mechanism shown and described in United States Letters Patent issued to Joseph Eckert, No. 1,241,359, September 25, 1917, wherein a ratchet member having teeth formed in its upper surface is fixed to the brake-shaftand asecond member in the form of a sliding block, slidably mounted upon the shaft immediately above the said fixed member, the latter being provided with a plurality of longitudinal bores within which plungers operate toward and away from the teeth of t-he lower iXed ratchet member, a further object of ourl present invention being to combine certain other features of advantage in that type of brake operating mechanism wherein Va ratchet member having teeth formed in its upper face surface is fixed to the brake-shaft and a second ratchet member having corresponding teeth in its lower face surface is slidably mounted upon the shaft, the said upper and lower teeth coacting to rot ate the shaft in a winding direction to set the brakes, while the upper teeth automatically move out of the path of the lower teeth when the oneratinoA lever is turned inA an opposite direction.

lVith these objects in view the invention consistsin the various novel details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described in the specification,

Speccation of Letters Patent. faiented BIay 14,1918,

Application filed December 3, 1917. Serial No.' 205,082. y

illustrated in the drawings and more particularly pointed out in the claims. i

In the accompanying drawings forming part of the specification, and in whichlike reference characters indicate corresponding parts:

Figure 1 is a side View, partly in full elevation and partly in section through line C C of Fig. 2, the operating leverl being shown in full lines in its operative position and by broken lines in its normal or inoperative position, the locking pin being shown in its retainer, Fig. 2 a combined plan and sectional view, the sectional portion being taken on the line B B of F ig. 1, the locking pin being shown inv vits operative position, Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view through line A A of Fig. 1 showing the device for holding the operating lever against dropping of its own weight, Fig. t is a perspective view of the upper'ratchet member, Fig. 5 is a similar View of the lower ratchet member, Fig. 6 is a broken perspective view of the sleeve or casing, and Fig. 7 is a broken side view of the connecting end of the operating lever detached from its support and showing the lift lever mounted thereoin Referring to the said drawings 1 is the brake-shaft, the lower portion of which is journaled in the car platform in the usual manner. Upon the upper portion of the brake-shaft there is rigidly mounted a ratchet member 2 secured to the shaft, preferably, by means of a pin 3 which passes through the member 2 and the shaft, the upper face of the member 2 being provided with a series of teeth l. The shaft is reduced at 5, and slidably mounted upon this reduced portion is a second ratchet member 6 having a series of teeth formed in its lower face corresponding with and adapted to engage the teeth in the member 2. The member 6 is circular in form at its lower end and thereabove is formed square, as more clearly shown aty 7 in Fig. 4l. Surrounding the members 2 and 6 is a sleeve or cylinder member 8 the inside of which is provided with a squared portion 9 corresponding with the square portion 7 of the member 6 and within which the said member 6 slides upon the shaft. At one side of the sleeve member 8 and preferably integral therewith there are lateral ears or extensions 10, 11 upon andfrom its normal to a horizont-al or operativeposition as shown more clearly in Fig. 1, this pivot bolt being held against displacement by a head 1e at one end thereof and by a cotter pin 15 at the opposite end. The operating lever is preferably formed holloiv having at its connecting end an open space 16 adapted to receive a lift or rocking lever 17 loosely mounted upon the pivot bolt 13 and having a'portion extending beyond the end of the operating lever through an opening 18 in the Wall of the sleeve 8 into a recess 19 forming a shoulder 2O in the ratchet member 6, the purpose of which will presently appear.

The lift lever 17 is further provided with an arm Which extends downwardly from its pivotal center and at an angle thereto and against which arm a projection 21 on the inside of the top wall of the operating lever inipinges as the latter drops to its normal position,thereby rocking the lift lever on its pivot and causing the lip-turned roiuided end ilthereof to strike the shoulder and thus impart a direct upward Viuo\einent to the ratchet member G to lift the same out of engagement with the member 2 by the downward movement of the operating lever, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

The brakes are set through a number of partial revolutions of the brake-shaft, that is to say, one stroke of the operating lever, in the direction indicated by the arrovv in Fig. 2. will rotate said shaft, say, one-quarter of a revolution, the lever then being rcversed for another stroke, the operation being repeated until the brakes are fully set, each partial revolution of the shaft being held against retrograde movcnu-nt by the usual paivl and ratchet mechanism located on the floor of the platform, Whichl` as it constitutes no part of our invention and is known to all persons familiar with such matters. is notI shown in the drawings and need not bc further described. lt is to be understood that thc ratchet member 6, being slidably mounted upon the shaft. operates by gravity to engage the member 2 when the operating lever is in operative position and when so engaged turningl of said lever, as before indicated, will rotate the brake-shaft, While in turning the said lever in an opposite direction the member 6 will slide on the brake-shaft and its ratchet teeth will ride over those of the member thus allowing the members 6 and S to be rotated in a rcverse direction independently of the brakeshaft and its fixed ratchet member 2. l.When the operating lever is in its normal, suspended, position the ratchet members being separated, as hereinbefore explained, the brakeshaft is free to rotate in a reverse direction and unwind the brake chain,

lt sometimes happens that When the brakes are rset and the retaining paivl and ratchet located on the car platform, and to which reference has previously been made, is released by the foot of the operator the shaft refuses to unwind because of some irregularity, in such cases it becomes necessary to use force to free the brake chain and alloiv the shaft to perform its proper function. To provide for such emergency and adapt the mechanism of our present invention to the performance of such reverse action We provide a removable pin adapted to be inserted through perforations 2st in the sleeve il immediately above the ratchet member ti so as to lock the latter in engagement With the ratchet member 2 and thus provide a means whereby the shaft may be operated in a reverse direction by the operating lever. l support isprovided for the locking pin when out of service and a chain 26 sccures it against removal from the brake mechanism.

lleietofoi'e. in brake operating mechanism wherein a drop lever has been employed to rotate the brake-shaft the necessity for the operator to exercise a lifting action on the operating lever, when setting the brakes` has been found to bean objection to this type of brake mechanism. To overcome this objection ive combine with the mechanism already described means whereby the operating` lever When in operative position Will be retained thereii'ragainst the tendency to drop of its oivn Weight, and which a slight pressure exerted on the lever ivill free the same and permit it to drop by gravity to its normal position. To this end the operating lever is provided with a lateral chamber 27 so located as to bc Within the space formed between the extensions 10, 11 of the sleeve 8, Whatever may be the position of the said lever. lllithin this chamber there is located a spiral spring 2S having one end bearing against the bottom of the chamber and being` provided with a rounded headepiecc 259i having a shoulder 30 against `which the opposite end of the spring bears and presses the rounded end of the head-piece into a corresponding detent 31 formed in the inner surface of the extension 10 of the sleeve S. This mechanism is shown, described and claimed in application of .lohn Kirby. Jr., Serial No. 202.11'22, filed November 15, 1917, it being` shown and described in this application merely to illustrate its adaptability to our present invention.

' To operate `the foregoing ydescribed brake mechanism the operator yraises the operating lever from its normaler inoperative position to its operative or horizontalposition, in doing which the `upper ratchet member automatically engages the lower ratchet member, thereby establishing operative connection between the brake-shaft and the operating lever when the shaft can be rotated to set the brakes, the operative connection 'being' broken by the dropping of the operating lever, which in swinging to its normal position rotates the lift lever which, in turn, raises the upper ratchet member, as previously described, thereby leaving the brakeshaft free to unwind when not held against retrograde movement by means employed for that purpose.

Having thus fully described our invention, we claim l. In brake operating mechanism, the combination of a shaft, a sleeve mounted on the shaft and adapted to be rotated independently thereof, a lower ratchet member fixed to and rotatable with the shaft within the sleeve and having ratchet teeth formed in its upper face, an upper ratchet member slidably mounted on the shaft having ratchet teeth formed in its lower face corresponding in form and adapted to cow act with the teeth of said lower member to rotate the brake shaft said member being rotatable in unison with the sleeve, an operating lever pivotally connected with the sleeve and adapted to rotate the same, and means pivotally mounted on said lever whereby the teeth of Ysaid upper ratchet member will be moved out of engagement with those of said lower ratchet member by the dropping of the operating lever to its normal position.

2. In brake operating mechanism a shaft, a fixed ratchet rotatable with the shaft, a ratchet member slidably mounted on the' shaft and adapted to positively engage said fixed ratchet, a sleeve mounted on the shaft and rotatable independently thereof, an opening formed in the wall of the sleeve, an operating lever in pivotal connection with the sleeve, a shoulder formed in said ratchet member, a pivoted arm extending from the lever through said opening in the wall of the sleeve and co-acting with said shoulder to disengage the ratchets when the lever is in its normal position, and means whereby the ratchets may be locked in engagement when the lever is in its operative position.

8. In bra lie operating mechanism,the combination with a shaft adapted to be rotated, ol" a lower ratchet member fixed to and rotatable with the shaft, an upper ratchet member slid-ably mounted on said shaft; said ratchet members having teeth of similar form cut therein cooperating to rotate the shaft, a Asleeve member mounted on the shaft and rotatablethereon in unison with said upper ratchet member independently of the shaft, an operating lever connectedl with said' sleevel member kby -a pivot v'bolt and adaptedto be swungin and out of operative position thereon, and a liftilever also mounted on said pivot bolt and co-acting with a shoulder formed on said upper ratchet member to lift the same out of operative engagement through the downward movement of the operating lever.

4. In brake operating mechanism, the combination with a shaft adapted to be rotated, of a lower ratchet member Xed to and rotatable with the shaft, an upper ratchet member slidably mounted on said shaft; said ratchet members having teeth cut therein which cooperate to rotate the shaft, a shoulder formed on said upper ratchet member, a sleeve member mounted on the shaft and rotatable thereon in unison with said upper ratchet member independently of the shaft, an operating lever connected with said sleeve member by a pivot bolt and adapted to be swung in and out of operative position thereon, a lift lever also mounted on said pivot bolt and co-acting with said shoulder formed on said upper ratchet member to lift the same out of operative engagement through the downward movement of the operating lever, means for locking the said ratchet members in engagement whereby the shaft may be rotated in a reverse direction.

5. In brake operating mechanism, the combination of a shaft, a sleeve mounted on the shaft and adapted to be rotated independently thereof, a lower ratchet member fixed to and rotatable with the shaft within the sleeve and having ratchet teeth formed in its upper face, an upper ratchet member slidably mounted on the shaft having ratchet teeth formed in its lower face corresponding in form and adapted to co-act with the teeth of said lower member to rotate the brake shaft said member being rotatable in unison with the sleeve, an operating lever pivotally connected with the sleeve and adapted to rotate the same, and a rocking member mounted on said lever and having an upturned rounded end to engage a shoulder formed on said upper ratchet member whereby the teeth of the latter will be moved out of engagement with those of the lower ratchet member by the dropping of the operating lever to its normal position.

6. In brake operating mechanism a shaft, a fixed ratchet rotatable with the shaft, a ratchet member slidably mounted on the shaft and adapted to positively engage said fixed ratchet, a sleeve mounted on the shaft and rotatable independently thereof, an opening formed in the wall of the sleeve, an

operating lever in pivotal connection with the sleeve, a Shoulder formed in said ratchet member, a pivoted arm "extending from the lever through said opening in the Wall of the sleeve and 1z0-acting with said Shoulder to dsengege the ratchete when the lever is in its normal position, and means intermediate meeeee the top Wall of the. sleeve. and the upper end of seid ratchet member whereby the ratehets may be locked in engagement when the lever l@ is in opeiative position.

JOSEPH ECKEBT. JOHN Kie, JR.

Ccpies of this paient may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Weeiingfela, M f. 

